Power tools are commonly used in many industries including, but not limited to, construction and manufacturing, as well as by individuals engaged in hobby and home improvement projects. As used herein, the term “power tool” includes a wide range of devices including, but not limited to, saws, drills, routers, nail drivers, grinders, sanders, measuring tools that include at least one electronic component. Many power tools include a moving part that is driven by, for example, an electric motor, hydraulic or pneumatic actuator, or a combustion engine. Measuring tools include, but are not limited to, calipers, level sensors, range finders, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and the like. Handheld power tools are designed with a size and weight that enables a human operator to hold the power tool with one or two hands during operation. Many handheld power tools are referred to as “cordless” or “wireless” handheld power tools that receive electrical power from a battery that is connected to the power tool instead of requiring an electrical cord that runs to an electrical outlet.
Modern power tools often include digital control devices that control the operation of one or more components in the power tool during operation. Examples of digital control devices include, but are not limited to, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). In some power tool embodiments, the digital control device in a power tool receives data from one or more sensors in the power tool to control operation of the power tool. For example, a digital controller receives temperature data from a temperature sensor that monitors the operating temperature of an electric motor in a saw. If the temperature of the motor exceeds a predetermined maximum temperature level, then the controller deactivates the motor to prevent damage due to overheating.
As described above, power tools that include digital controllers often collect data about the operational state of the power tool. Operators use information about the internal operational state of the power tool to use the power tools more efficiently, and maintenance personnel use the data to diagnose problems with the power tools or to perform preventative maintenance before problems arise. In existing power tools, however, the operators and maintenance personnel do not have access to the operational state data that are collected in the power tool. In some larger power tools additional hardware such as LCD displays or other output devices could be incorporated to display the operational state data of the power tool to an operator. Complex output devices, however, increase the weight and complexity of the power tool and can fail in harsh working environments. Additionally, handheld power tools that are designed to be small and light-weight are unable to accommodate large LCD displays or other large output devices without unacceptable increases to the size or weight of the power tool. Thus, improvements to power tools that enable operators and maintenance personnel to view the internal operating state data for a wide variety of power tools would be beneficial.